1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a wire end processing apparatus and more particularly to a wire cutter and stripper apparatus incorporated in such wire end processing apparatuses.
2. Prior Art
FIGS. 16 and 17 show one known wire cutter and stripper apparatus of the type under consideration. A vertical guide member 150 is mounted on a frame 151 through a mounting member 152. A pair of first and second racks 153, 154 are mounted on the guide member for vertical movement therealong. A pinion 155 is rotatably mounted on the guide member and meshingly engages the first and second racks 153, 154. A pair of upper and lower blade holders 156, 157 are secured to the respective upper ends of the first and second racks 153, 154. A pair of upper stripper blades 158, 159 and an upper cutter blade 160 are carried by the upper blade holder 156 while the lower blade holder 157 carries a pair of lower stripper blades 161, 162 and a lower cutter blade 163. An actuator rod 164 is secured to the lower end of the first rack 153 for vertically moving the first rack 153. Thus, the upper and lower cutter and stripper blades are moved toward each other by the actuator rod 164 through the racks 153, 154 and pinion 155 to sever an insulated wire 165 and to cut through the insulation thereof on opposite sides of the line of severing of the wire, the insulated wire being intermittently fed by a predetermined length. With this construction, the actuator rod 164 and the cutter and stripper blades move at the same speed. Thus, the amount of movement of those blades is proportional to time, as shown in a solid in FIG. 15. As a result, the presence of any backlash and play in the drive system for the blades would adversely affect the cutting of the insulation of the wire by the stripper blades. More specifically, where the total amount of movement of the stripper blades does not reach a predetermined level, the insulation is not completely cut through by the stripper blades. This prevents the proper stripping operation. On the other hand, the total amount of movement exceeds the predetermined level, the stripper blades cut through the insulation into the wire. This is undesirable because the stripped end of the wire has a reduced mechanical strength.